The present application relates generally to the field of batteries and battery modules. More specifically, the present application relates to batteries and battery modules that may be used in vehicle applications to provide at least a portion of the motive power for the vehicle.
Vehicles using electric power for all or a portion of their motive power (e.g., electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and the like, collectively referred to as “electric vehicles”) may provide a number of advantages as compared to more traditional gas-powered vehicles using internal combustion engines. For example, electric vehicles may produce fewer undesirable emission products and may exhibit greater fuel efficiency as compared to vehicles using internal combustion engines (and, in some cases, such vehicles may eliminate the use of gasoline entirely, as is the case with certain types of PHEVs).
As electric vehicle technology continues to evolve, there is a need to provide improved power sources (e.g., battery modules) for such vehicles. For example, it is desirable to increase the distance that such vehicles may travel without the need to recharge the batteries. It is also desirable to improve the performance of such batteries and to reduce the cost associated with the battery modules.
One area of improvement that continues to develop is in the area of battery chemistry. Early electric vehicle systems employed nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries as a propulsion source. Over time, different additives and modifications have improved the performance, reliability, and utility of NiMH batteries.
More recently, manufacturers have begun to develop lithium-ion batteries that may be used in electric vehicles. There are several advantages associated with using lithium-ion batteries for vehicle applications. For example, lithium-ion batteries have a higher charge density and specific power than NiMH batteries. Stated another way, lithium-ion batteries may be smaller than NiMH batteries while storing the same amount of charge, which may allow for weight and space savings in the electric vehicle (or, alternatively, this feature may allow manufacturers to provide a greater amount of power for the vehicle without increasing the weight of the vehicle or the space taken up by the battery module).
It is generally known that lithium-ion batteries perform differently than NiMH batteries and may present design and engineering challenges that differ from those presented with NiMH battery technology. For example, lithium-ion batteries may be more susceptible to variations in battery temperature than comparable NiMH batteries, and thus systems may be used to regulate the temperatures of the lithium-ion batteries during vehicle operation. The manufacture of lithium-ion batteries also presents challenges unique to this battery chemistry, and new methods and systems are being developed to address such challenges.
Storage battery assemblies are widely used for power supply of electronic devices and are of main importance for hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles requires high sophisticated cell arrangements in view of cooling the storage battery and control of the cells. Therefore, control units are provided for a set of cells comprising at least one of a temperature sensor, a voltage sensor, and a current sensor for monitoring the status of a set of cells.
A storage battery assembly for vehicles comprises a high number of battery cells which have to be mounted and connected together in a housing by use of conductive bars. This is time consuming and causes high costs of manufacturing. Moreover, the electronic circuitry provided for monitoring and/or controlling of single battery cells or a group of battery cells has to be connected to cell terminals or conductive bars.
Again, establishing the connections is time consuming. Further, due to the wide temperature range in a battery housing and due to the high vibrational loads to which the storage battery assembly may be subjected, a very stable design of the connections is required.
DE 10 2005 055 418 B3 discloses, for example, a storage battery assembly comprising a plurality of prismatic battery cells connected to each other by use of terminals extending to a battery cell housing and carrying an U-formed connection plate. An adjacent battery cell is plugged into the U-formed connection plate and is welded with its housing providing the negative pole to the connection plate.
DE 100 11 233 B4 discloses a battery pack comprising temperature sensors located on a row of battery cells for measuring the temperature of the battery cells.
DE 10 2004 043 138 A1 discloses a battery cover comprising integrated contact portions for connecting to the battery terminals and comprising electronic circuitry. The battery cover can be placed on top of a battery comprising a plurality of battery cells and is intended for use with a starter battery.
EP 1 250 720 B1 discloses a battery cell comprising a battery cell housing and electronic circuitry incorporated into the battery cell housing. A battery cell terminal is connected to the electronic circuitry by use of a spring contact member. The electrodes inside the battery cell housing are connected to a contact plate at the bottom side of the circuit board comprising the electronic circuitry.
US 2006/0091891 A1 discloses a battery assembly comprising a plurality of prismatic battery cells and bus bars on the top of the cell assembly for connecting adjacent battery cell terminals. Temperature measurement members are attached to the bus bars. A printed circuit board made of a thin cupper laminate is connected to the bus bar. A circuit is printed at the printed circuit board to which electric current is transmitted from the bus bar via protrusions and an electric current is transmitted from a thermistor via through holes. The printed circuit board is connected to a battery management system, at which a voltage measuring device and a temperature measuring device are mounted.
KR 10 2004 0005066 A discloses a device for connecting battery cells of hybrid electric vehicles comprising a printed circuit board equipped with an electrical circuit for serial or parallel connection of the cells of a battery. The printed circuit board is electrically connected to each of the cells to connect cells in a serial or parallel manner. A voltage measurement connection socket is connected to the electrical circuit of the printed circuit board and a cell voltage measurement unit.
GB 2 375 223 A discloses a battery management system comprising a printed circuit board and a plurality of electrochemical cells. The printed circuit board is plugged onto cell terminals protruding from the battery cell housing and screwed onto the battery terminals by nuts. The printed circuit board carries hardware and software components in a number of sensors for monitoring and controlling the battery pack. Further, the printed circuit board carries tracks for connecting a pair of cell terminals respectively. Thus, a connection of battery cells serial or parallel and a connection of battery terminals to electronic circuitry for monitoring and controlling battery cells is achieved in one step simply by screwing the printed circuit board onto the cell terminals.
DE 10 2006 002 457 A1 discloses an electrical connector between a printed circuit board and a battery terminal. An electric conductive bushing mounted in a hole of the printed circuit board is plugged and welded onto a battery terminal post.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,389 B2 discloses a fixing device for a printed circuit board comprising an elastic washer mounted between the printed circuit board and a fixing pillar. Electric current is able to flow from conductive lines on the printed circuit board through the elastic washer and the fixing pillar to a shell.
DE 203 20 473 U1 discloses a shunt provided in a plate like connector element for cell terminals.
It would be desirable to provide an improved battery module and/or system for use in electric vehicles that addresses one or more challenges associated with NiMH and/or lithium-ion battery modules used in such vehicles. It would also be desirable to provide a battery module and/or system that includes any one or more of the advantageous features that will be apparent from a review of the present disclosure.